The life and times of a great man

Bill Morris

Published: Sunday, November 18, 2012 at 10:37 PM.

There was a picture of Bill Morris in The Gazette the other day. Right there on the Hometown front — dressed to the nines, grinning like a possum eating puddin’, all the folks around him giving him an ovation, and his girlfriend at his side with the biggest smile of all. I’ll tell you about his girlfriend in a moment; but, first, who is Bill Morris? Well, he’s 95. He’s a friend-maker, a smiler. Show him a hand and he’ll shake it. Show him an American flag and he’ll salute it. He wears patriotism as a badge of honor, which it is. He also is a longtime Marine. Fought in many battles in World War II. A Rotarian, he has been recognized by that worldwide group for his civic and charitable activities. At Gaston Memorial Hospital, he volunteered his services 14 years ago when he came to town; now, he is co-chairman of publicity for the hospital. My wife and I got to know Bill Morris about the time he began squiring Margaret Jarvis around. She lived in the Big House (Covenant Village) and had a reputation of dropping little gifts where little gifts would be appreciated. Hang around Bill Morris for a while and you get the idea that life for him has been a series of ups and downs, happiness and grief, good times and bad. “Over all,” he said, “they have been learning experiences … but always knowing that the ‘One Above’ was looking after me.” He said that he came to Gaston County in 2004 because his wife, Roberta, had Alzheimer’s disease and needed nursing care. After she died in 2008, he moved in with his daughter, Altha, and son-in-law, David, in McAdenville, to be close to them. He still lives there. When he moved to McAdenville, he became a volunteer at Gaston Memorial Hospital, has been there for 14 years. He has worked in critical care, surgery waiting, and now, lobby information. He also serves as co-chair of public relations. Back in 1941, when he was living in Dallas, Texas, he joined the National Guard’s 36th Infantry Division. It was federalized shortly after Pearl Harbor. After two years of training, he was shipped to Africa and was in the landing at Salerno, Italy, in September 1943. He was in the battle of Anzio and all through Rome. He and his division were involved in the invasion of Southern France, on through Germany and then into Austria, when the European phase ended. Joking, he said that the proudest moment as a Marine came when he graduated boot camp in San Diego. “I am a Hollywood Marine,” he said, with the scripted grin of his famous comic father, the late W. C. Fields. Bill Morris now serves as public relations officer for the Marine Corps League, Detachment 1162, Gastonia. As to his dad, he said: “I saw my dad, W.C. Fields, only once in my life. The same goes for my mother. I was raised by foster parents. They had a son five years older than me. So, life growing up is best forgotten. W.C. provided financial aid until I was grown. I always believed that ‘hating kids’ was part of his act. He did leave me a sense of humor, for which I am very grateful.” Professionally, he has worked for Braniff International Airways in Dallas, Texas, and was executive director of Regional Junior Achievement for 25 years. Also, he was a reporter for Creative Loafing in Charlotte. Now, as to that girlfriend: It was back about half a dozen years ago when he and Margaret Jarvis found a seat on the same bench at First Presbyterian Church in Gastonia. It was then that their hearts started talking to each other. Those hearts haven’t stopped talking to each other. Today, when you see one, you likely will see the other. An elderly gent, and a gently elderly lady — each helping bear the aging burdens of the other, smiling through it all. Bill Williams is a former editor of The Gaston Gazette and has contributed to its pages for more than 61 years.

Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published
without permission. Links are encouraged.

There was a picture of Bill Morris in The Gazette the other day.
Right there on the Hometown front — dressed to the nines, grinning like a possum eating puddin’, all the folks around him giving him an ovation, and his girlfriend at his side with the biggest smile of all.
I’ll tell you about his girlfriend in a moment; but, first, who is Bill Morris?
Well, he’s 95. He’s a friend-maker, a smiler. Show him a hand and he’ll shake it. Show him an American flag and he’ll salute it. He wears patriotism as a badge of honor, which it is.
He also is a longtime Marine. Fought in many battles in World War II. A Rotarian, he has been recognized by that worldwide group for his civic and charitable activities. At Gaston Memorial Hospital, he volunteered his services 14 years ago when he came to town; now, he is co-chairman of publicity for the hospital.
My wife and I got to know Bill Morris about the time he began squiring Margaret Jarvis around. She lived in the Big House (Covenant Village) and had a reputation of dropping little gifts where little gifts would be appreciated.
Hang around Bill Morris for a while and you get the idea that life for him has been a series of ups and downs, happiness and grief, good times and bad.
“Over all,” he said, “they have been learning experiences … but always knowing that the ‘One Above’ was looking after me.”
He said that he came to Gaston County in 2004 because his wife, Roberta, had Alzheimer’s disease and needed nursing care. After she died in 2008, he moved in with his daughter, Altha, and son-in-law, David, in McAdenville, to be close to them. He still lives there.
When he moved to McAdenville, he became a volunteer at Gaston Memorial Hospital, has been there for 14 years. He has worked in critical care, surgery waiting, and now, lobby information. He also serves as co-chair of public relations.
Back in 1941, when he was living in Dallas, Texas, he joined the National Guard’s 36th Infantry Division. It was federalized shortly after Pearl Harbor. After two years of training, he was shipped to Africa and was in the landing at Salerno, Italy, in September 1943. He was in the battle of Anzio and all through Rome.
He and his division were involved in the invasion of Southern France, on through Germany and then into Austria, when the European phase ended.
Joking, he said that the proudest moment as a Marine came when he graduated boot camp in San Diego.
“I am a Hollywood Marine,” he said, with the scripted grin of his famous comic father, the late W. C. Fields.
Bill Morris now serves as public relations officer for the Marine Corps League, Detachment 1162, Gastonia.
As to his dad, he said: “I saw my dad, W.C. Fields, only once in my life. The same goes for my mother. I was raised by foster parents. They had a son five years older than me. So, life growing up is best forgotten. W.C. provided financial aid until I was grown. I always believed that ‘hating kids’ was part of his act. He did leave me a sense of humor, for which I am very grateful.”
Professionally, he has worked for Braniff International Airways in Dallas, Texas, and was executive director of Regional Junior Achievement for 25 years. Also, he was a reporter for Creative Loafing in Charlotte.
Now, as to that girlfriend:
It was back about half a dozen years ago when he and Margaret Jarvis found a seat on the same bench at First Presbyterian Church in Gastonia. It was then that their hearts started talking to each other.
Those hearts haven’t stopped talking to each other. Today, when you see one, you likely will see the other.
An elderly gent, and a gently elderly lady — each helping bear the aging burdens of the other, smiling through it all.
Bill Williams is a former editor of The Gaston Gazette and has contributed to its pages for more than 61 years.